Written Answers Wednesday 30 June 2010

Scottish Executive

Climate Change

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its public engagement strategy, as required under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

John Swinney: The public engagement strategy for the Climate Change Act is currently under development and will be published by 31 December 2010, as is required by the act.

Climate Change

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress each local authority has made in establishing schemes for reducing council tax where improvements are made to the energy efficiency of homes, as outlined in section 65 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has no formal role in overseeing the introduction of such schemes under the 2009 act but we have been working with COSLA, local authorities, the energy companies and some other interested parties to support implementation. As a result, we understand that 15 local authorities currently have a scheme in place, 11 have plans which are at an advanced stage and the six remaining authorities are planning to introduce schemes for the start of the 2011-12 financial year.

  The Scottish Government also provided a small amount of funding to allow COSLA and the Improvement Service to commission a review of energy efficient council tax rebate schemes in Scotland. The review has been completed and a copy of the review report, which is currently being finalised, will be placed in SPICe (Bib. number 51226) when it is published.

Climate Change

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the annual progress report on tackling climate change will be published.

Stewart Stevenson: The Climate Change in Scotland: Annual Report 2009-10 is now available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/06/29093219 .

Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to enact the provisions in the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 that will allow parents to make placing requests for provision in other local authority areas.

The Executive has supplied the following corrected answer:

Adam Ingram: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 is scheduled to commence on 14 November 2010 and will allow parents of children with additional support needs and young persons with additional support needs, including those with co-ordinated support plans, to make placing requests for provision in other local authority areas.

  It is for individual local authorities to interpret the legislation and discharge their duties in line with it.

Enterprise

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the replacement for the Graduates for Business scheme will start.

Michael Russell: I have been advised by Scottish Enterprise that the programme will roll out from the end of June with the official launch date expected to be in August 2010. Account managers are already recruiting companies with suitable projects.

Enterprise

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the objectives will be of the replacement for the Graduates for Business scheme.

Michael Russell: I am advised by Scottish Enterprise that the objectives of the new programme will be to: stimulate business growth in Scotland; attract and retain the best talent in Scotland; develop graduates’ understanding of business and innovation, and attract skilled people into our most fragile rural business areas.

Enterprise

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what interest there has been in the replacement for the Graduates for Business scheme.

Michael Russell: I am advised by Scottish Enterprise that there has been a healthy interest in the new programme.

Enterprise

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it has had in the creation of the replacement for the Graduates for Business scheme.

Michael Russell: We are monitoring the programme’s development and delivery through regular discussions with Scottish Enterprise and the other organisations involved. To assist with the co-ordination of the new programme, the Scottish Government is providing £60,000 to support a Project Manager to be based at the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service, Scotland.

Enterprise

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the introduction of a replacement for the Graduates for Business scheme by Scottish Enterprise following the scheme’s closure.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government welcomes the new programme which has been developed by Scottish Enterprise, in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Scottish Funding Council, Skills Development Scotland and the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Service, Scotland. The new programme, named " Talent Scotland – Graduate Placements"  will help graduates improve their employability skills and create new employment opportunities.

Fatal Accident Inquiry

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to respond to the determination issued by the sheriff in the fatal accident inquiry into the tragic circumstances of the death of 21-month-old Ben McCreath.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is commencing a review of this specific area of the building regulations in line with the sheriff’s recommendation. This review will consider if the restriction on gap dimensions within protective barriers should be extended to all buildings.

  We will start the review process immediately and intend to issue a public consultation early in 2011.

Glasgow Airport Rail Link

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the benefit-cost ratio of the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project was when it was cancelled.

Stewart Stevenson: When the project was cancelled in September 2009 it had a benefit to cost ratio (BCR) of 1.1.

Health

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent in Scotland on research into motor neurone disease in each year since 2000.

Shona Robison: One of the main agencies through which the UK Government funds medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC).

  Total direct expenditure in the UK by the MRC on MND since 2000 is as follows:

  

 2000-01
 Not available


 2001-02
£2.0 million


 2002-03
£2.0 million


 2003-04
£2.5 million


 2004-05
£1.5 million


 2005-06
£2.8 million


 2006-07
£6.4 million


 2007-08
£5.5 million


 2008-09
£5.5 million


 2009-10
 Not available



  MRC are unable to provide separate figures for their spend in Scotland.

  Within the Scottish Government the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and healthcare needs in Scotland. CSO supports projects of a sufficiently high standard initiated by the research community in Scotland. CSO has not funded nor received any research applications on motor neurone disease (MND) since 2000.

  Expenditure made by research charities in Scotland on MND is not held centrally.

Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 40 to 74 will be entitled to universal health checks.

Shona Robison: The total number of people who would be eligible will depend on the precise form a universal health check would take. The research currently being commissioned to support the piloting of the universal health checks will help establish the numbers likely to be entitled.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact assessment has been made of the effect on stoma product innovation of its consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland in 2010-12.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact assessment has been made of the effect on availability of stoma products of its consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland in 2010-12.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact assessment has been made of the effect on patients if stoma product withdrawal is caused as a result of its consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland in 2010-12.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not consider that there would be any negative impact upon stoma product availability or innovation arising from the proposals in Consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland for the period 2010-12 . Stoma appliance manufacturers would remain able to respond to the forthcoming tender by pricing their products as they see fit but within a more transparent framework intended to help NHS boards deliver optimal value for money in the provision of this service.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact assessment has been made of the effect on patient access to home delivery services of its consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland in 2010-12.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not consider that the proposals should impact negatively on patient access to a home delivery service as this continues to be included as previously in the service model which will be tendered.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how its consultation proposals on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland in 2010-12 will meet its conclusions on provision of appliances for stoma care.

Shona Robison: The purpose of the consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland for the period 2010-12 was to invite comments from parties directly affected on proposals developed to improve Value for Money to NHS Scotland, consistent with Conclusion 10 of the paper published in November 2009 – Provision of appliances for Stoma Care –Scottish Government conclusions following meetings of stoma national review group 2006-9 , which relates to Improvements in Value for Money.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason its consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland in 2010-12 did not include questions about quality of service delivery.

Shona Robison: The purpose of the consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland for the period 2010-12 was to invite comments from parties directly affected on proposals developed to improve Value for Money to NHS Scotland, consistent with Conclusion 10 of the paper published in November 2009 – "Provision of appliances for Stoma Care –Scottish Government conclusions following meetings of stoma national review group 2006-9", which relates to Improvements in Value for Money. Conclusion 4 of the November 2009 paper related to audit arrangements for services supplied under new tender arrangements and stated that these arrangements should be developed through a partnership of relevant parties. This work is being taken forward by the Scottish Stoma Forum supported by a grant from the Scottish Government.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the impact of the predicted increase in the demand for stoma appliances on NHS Scotland spending on the provision of stoma appliances.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision has been made by NHS Scotland for the success of the Scottish Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in the planning of stoma services.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision has been made by NHS Scotland for the ageing population in the planning of stoma services.

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision has been made by NHS Scotland for the cost of employing clinical nurse specialists for stoma patient care.

Shona Robison: The responsibility for making appropriate provision for all aspects of future demand for care for patients with stomas, falls to each NHS board, and is not managed centrally. Requests for further information should be addressed to the chief executive of the NHS board concerned.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason its consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland in 2010-12 proposes a global sum for spend on stoma appliances set at 2006-07 levels.

Shona Robison: The Consultation on the terms of tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland for the period 2010-12 does not propose a Global Sum for total spend on stoma appliances. It includes a proposal for a Global Sum only in respect of the remuneration paid to stoma service contractors for appliance dispensing in a similar way to how remuneration for community pharmacy contractors dispensing drugs and other non stoma items is subject to a Global Sum. The reason for the proposal is to seek better value for money for NHS Scotland in dispensing of stoma appliances in accordance with the existing service model.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether comparisons have been made with health services in other parts of the United Kingdom or further afield in drafting the proposals contained in the Scottish Government consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland in 2010-12.

Shona Robison: Whilst supply arrangements in England and Wales are not directly comparable with Scottish contractual arrangements, elements of the new funding arrangements introduced there in April 2010 have been considered in the development of the Scottish Government’s proposals.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are using stoma appliances.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what projections have been made regarding how many patients will need stoma appliances over the next two years compared with 2006-07.

Shona Robison: The responsibility for making appropriate provision for all aspects of future demand for care for patients with stomas, falls to each NHS board, and is not managed centrally. Requests for further information should be addressed to the chief executive of the NHS board concerned.

Health

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason its consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland in 2010-12 lasted only eight weeks.

Shona Robison: Direct consultations with representative bodies of commercial organisations, who would be directly affected by the terms of new tenders to replace those whose term was due to end in March 2010, commenced in November 2009 and continued into February 2010. A formal consultation on the terms of the tenders to be issued for the provision of stoma appliances to NHS Scotland for the period 2010-12, informed by these exchanges, was accordingly issued on 22 March 2010 and closed formally on 17 May 2010. The Scottish Government believes that all parties likely to be affected by the forthcoming tender and who wished to make representations have had an appropriate opportunity to do so.

Justice

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many proceedings in the criminal courts against children under the age of 16 there have been in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) age, (b) type of offence and (c) outcome.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is given in the document Children aged under 16 proceeded against in Scottish Courts, 1999-2000 to 2008-09 , a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 51158).

Justice

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the updated Scottish Strategy for Victims will be published.

Kenny MacAskill: A review of victims policy is now being commenced. The process will include a consultation on options for improving victim support planned for late summer 2010 and will conclude with publication of an updated policy framework at the turn of the year.

Multiple Sclerosis

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any plans to conduct clinical trials in Scotland based on research that suggests possible links between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is aware of the research into possible links between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and multiple sclerosis (MS) but is not aware of any plans at this stage to conduct clinical trials in Scotland based on this research. The Scottish Government will monitor research being carried out abroad in this area and will maintain an interest in the results of any such research which may be of potential benefit and may lead to advances in patient care.

Multiple Sclerosis

Christina McKelvie (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met or has plans to meet the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland or other interested parties to discuss further research on possible links between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Shona Robison: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Government Health Directorates has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and health care needs in Scotland. CSO has not met nor has any plans to meet the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland or any other interested parties to discuss specifically further research on possible links between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) and multiple sclerosis. CSO would, however, welcome research proposals for research in this area which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason there was a delay of over one year in establishing a national contract for agency locums to standardise pay rates and reduce costs.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHSScotland had expected to use the new UK-wide NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) framework on the expiry of the 2009 Scottish agreement. Following a rise in NHS PASA’s framework charge rates the cost impact in Scotland would have been higher than elsewhere in the UK. Accordingly, following consultation with NHS boards in 2008, NHS National Services Scotland’s National Procurement division were tasked with putting in place a more affordable agreement for NHSScotland. This was a complex process, involving extensive consultation with stakeholders and negotiations with suppliers. The new agreement came into operation on 1 June 2010, and is the most competitively priced contract of its kind in the UK.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional costs in employing medical locums from agencies arose due to the delay in establishing the national contract.

Nicola Sturgeon: Market rate costs for medical locum doctors have been increasing in recent years, as have requests by NHS boards for agency locum doctors. Those factors are likely to have contributed to any increase in NHS boards’ spend on agency locum doctors. It is not possible to determine whether the different contractual arrangements in place over the period from 2004 have in themselves resulted in additional costs.

Rural Development

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any payments under the current funding round of the Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities scheme have been delayed and, if so, (a) how many, (b) for what reason, (c) what the total value is of such payments, (d) what action is being taken to allow the payments to be made and (e) when those awaiting payments can expect to receive them.

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any payments under the current funding round of the Rural Priorities scheme have been delayed and, if so, (a) how many, (b) for what reason, (c) what the total value is of such payments, (d) what action is being taken to allow the payments to be made and (e) when those awaiting payments can expect to receive them.

Richard Lochhead: (a) There are delays in processing 613 annual recurrent claims, and 209 capital claims under Rural Priorities.

  (b) On the annual recurrent side, the delay is due to officials continuing to clear computer generated errors, which emerged during the processing of these claims. These include cases where claimants have changed their approved schedule of work, or have amended their original contract, and/or have differences between the areas claimed and those found at inspection. On the capital side, the main reason for the delay is that a number of claims lack all of the required supporting documentation. Such claims are not valid to be paid and officials have to contact claimants to obtain the missing data. This can cause delays if claimants do not respond quickly, or do not have the required information to hand.

  (c) There is some £4.6 million of outstanding annual recurrent claims, and some  £4.5 million of capital claims.

  (d) New systems are being introduced to speed up the processing of annual recurrent payments. There are no current delays with processing valid 2010 RP capital claims.

  (e) We aim to pay all annual recurrent claims by 31 August 2010 and earlier where possible, within the strict confines of EU legislation. Payment of the outstanding capital claims is entirely dependent upon receipt of the required information.

  The current position on Rural Priorities payments is set out in the following table.

  

 Rural Priorities (RP) Payments
 No. of Claims Received
 No.Paid
 Value of Claims Paid £m
 No. of claims Received but Not Paid
 Estimated Value of Unpaid Claims £m


 RP Annual Recurrent 2009
 1,150
 537
£3.70
 613
£4.61


 RP Capital (to date)
 2,452
 1,991
£35.30
 *209(2009 claims)
£4.50 (2009 claims)



  Note: *There is a published target to pay capital claims within three months of receiving a valid claim. The remaining unpaid capital claims are still within that deadline.

Scottish Cabinet

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of the summer Cabinet programme that is scheduled to be held in different towns in 2010.

Bruce Crawford: Previous summer programme costs can be found on the summer cabinet programme website which can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/14944/costs .

  As in previous years, this year’s costs will be published once the programme is complete.